Developing intercultural language learning textbooks: Methodological trends, engaging with the intercultural construct and personal reflections on the process

Abstract

Historically, textbook development for languages education has reflected methodological trends in languages learning, from grammar-translation methods used in the first half of the twentieth century, through audio-lingual, notional-functional, communicative language learning and other methodological paradigms. A current methodological trend - arguably more an 'orientation' to languages learning than a 'method' - involves developing 'intercultural' perspectives. In this orientation, learners are invited to constantly consider the interrelationship of language and culture; what this interplay means within variable cultural contexts; to work 'across and between' the languages they know and are learning; and to think reflexively on how developing understandings of new languages and cultures ultimately affects them as individuals and members of communities.